6 WAYS TO A RIGHT START IN AGRIBUSINESS IN 2013.

As we step into the year 2013, a lot of indications at the last quarter cum earlier activity of 2012 shows that serious attention would be drawn to agriculture, with a business unusual dimension for the sector. What this means is that agriculture would no longer be seen as mere farming- a laborious venture with lot of waiting period for benefits to be gotten but rather as a business, a source of employment for the youths, a source of livelihood and most importantly (especially to me) a sector that young people would begin to find desirous and attractive and lucrative.

To succeed as young people- agric entrepreneurs, it is important that we are armed with not only the relevant information, right and appropriate skills to thrive but have a strong desire and see the attractive but BIG picture in Agriculture, Food Supply Chain, Food Safety etc. Here are a few tips i have decided to share with all the young people out there that desire to go into any part of Agriculture cum Agribusiness or that are already into it.

     i.        Be Business Plan Ready: Funding and grant competitions and opportunities would open up in 2013. One of the basic requirements is that you MUST have a business plan. It is important that you have one ready at all times. Like my friend Allavi Elorm of Syecomp Business Services in Ghana said “Make sure your business plan is handy and accessible in both soft and hard copies”. You just have to be ready when the opportunity comes knocking at the door. Be it a competition or the opportunity to pitch your plan before potential clients or investors.

 

    ii.        Leverage on the Skills and Knowledge (of your friends and associates): Involve trusted friends (vision or dream builders) in our endeavour. The world we live in is blessed with very blessed individuals and this offers us a win-win environment. Be willing to ask for help from friends who would be ready to do some tasks for you at no cost or a cheaper one. Let us take this as a typical example, do you need to do graphic design works for branding of your agro firm why not talk to a friend who has got expertise in graphic design. Often times, such ones are willing to do it for free or at a comfortable discount. BUT never take the help or discount for granted.

 

   iii.        Network and Join the right support Organisations: Trust me, been part of he right networks and organisations either online or offline makes it possible to gain access to information and resources needed. A few examples are Young Professionals’ platform for Agricultural Research for Development(YPARD), Harambe Nigeria, Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN), National Association of Small Scale Industrialist (NASSI) to mention a few. Like the pages and join groups on social networks that relates to agriculture. All these organisations or networks have products, resources, seminars, workshops and other opportunity openings that young agro entrepreneurs need from time to time.

   iv.        Do not Joke with Farmers’ Organisation: Interestingly, government, research institutions, organisation, banks etc. both local and international desire always to align with groups of farmers rather than individuals. So ensure that you are part of a farmers’ organisation or cooperative at the very least. In Nigeria for example, the government recognises the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and they are found in every state of the federation. So make out time and join one. What more, interacting with fellow farmers and agro allied service providers helps in understanding the terrain and create synergy to tackle common problems and challenges.

 

    v.        Be Information Hungry: it is often said that “knowledge is Power”. As young people (with a so much passion, desire that finds Agriculture attractive), we need to be HUNGRY for relevant and credible information and resources. Sometimes this information opens up tips, opportunities and a large array of doors and networks that would be helpful. This brings me to the Power of the Social Media Networks. Merely following the research bodies like CGIAR, FARA, CIMMIT on twitter connects you to lot of information that would be invaluable.

 

   vi.        Engage in Personal Development and Training: Everyday new findings and results are revealed or unravelled through researches. More knowledge is provided about value chains and investment opportunities for entrepreneurs in the sector. As young entrepreneurs it is important that you get the right trainings through workshops, conferences and specialised training classes. Sometimes you have to pay for them. It could be a new method of cropping or livestock management or even soft skills and business management training. All these makes us fit for the sector and ready to excel.

 

Join the revolution of Young Agroprenuers, our Nation waits on us to turn things around. This is real business. Follow these tips and some more you may have gathered on your own and be sure of success. See you all at the top.

AGRICULTURE AND AGRIBUSINESS, YOUTH DYNAMISM AS STRATEGIC TURNAROUND IN NIGERIA - PART 2

Agriculture is the backbone of any dynamic and forward looking economy with Nigeria not in exception. It plays an important role in socio-economic development by ensuring food security, providing raw materials for foreign & local industries; generate foreign exchange and income for most of the population, majority of which is rural-based as well as providing employment and other strategic rural – urban economic turnaround opportunities.

These turnaround opportunities are evident in two economies like Brazil and South Africa; these two had turned around their rural areas through agriculture and agribusiness and with youths as the centre into semi and major urban centers. The guest speaker from Brazil at the last 6^th economic conference – Ehingbeti 2012 said Brazil has achieved 70% of rural turned urban cities with agriculture as a key part of other factors. Mr Langa Zita, the Director General of the department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa reiterated that the government of South Africa had made agriculture cum agribusiness as the pivot for employment and transformation opportunities in the rural cum urban city projects but with YOUTHS at the heart of it. This they have achieved success tremendously.           

Many young people around Africa and Nigeria are beginning to see and experience the advantages and benefit that comes with getting active in agriculture and agribusiness. Gbenga studied Accounting from the University of Ilorin; he got a job with a multinational company just a few months after his youth service. Even at that he still went into agriculture; four years down the line, he started with fish rearing and presently he has a poultry farm and i can still visualize how every morning the number business of people doing eggs, feeds and other business. At our last discussion, he has started training in pig farming which is the next prospect. His network of the business, techno-agro symbiotic management is the trade secret but with a youthful oriented workforce.

In Sierra Leone, Arthur William had a dream of starting a company when he graduated. He shared his vision with three friends who extended it to the whole class of seven in the department of Agricultural Engineering at the Njala University in 2009. They donated 5 US Dollar monthly for this purpose; Overtime the contributors dropped to three people since others could not meet up. In 2010, they invested this seed money in 30 acres of land with oil palm plantation, Rice, Cassava, Vegetable and fruit trees like mango and oranges were planted. The revenue obtained from these products was used to expand the business and support their Post Graduate studies. They also operated at very low cost by getting help from about 20 other youths in the community who got paid not on a monthly basis but by getting 40% of the profit from the sales made. This proved successful and a means to encourage other youth into agriculture.

These two are just a few of many young people who despite the challenges have made use of the opportunities open to them in agriculture and agribusiness. The solution to the problem of food insecurity as the population increases lies in our hands as Nigerian youths. Some ways we can have a good start as successful agric-entrepreneur (Agroprenuer) is to do the following:

Ø      Take active interest and grow a passion for agriculture and its business and a particular aspect that can network other areas as a cycle.

Ø      Think Big with a business plan and entrepreneurial advice from Banks, consultants but always start small, within the capacity you can afford and handle.

Ø      Be well informed about the aspect of agriculture you want to go into especially the risks involved and the market value of product at each stage of the value chain.

Ø      Network with other young people. There are a lot of youth out there who are already into agriculture. Attend Seminars and workshop on agriculture and agribusiness even if you have to pay.

Ø      Acquire practical knowledge. Read books, manuals, journals and work for others on their farms to gain experience and exposure.

Ø      Get training in business planning, marketing and management it has proved very helpful because a major challenge of most agriculturists in Nigeria is their inability to build a business plan and market to their products.

Ø      Be observant and open to new information, techniques etc.

Ø      Be ready to be a team player, most aids from the government and the Bank of Agriculture sometimes require you are in a group of ten or there about. So start watching out for young people you can join hands and work together

Ø      Follow the trend of activities around you to get updated about opportunities open to you through programs like YOUWIN, FADAMA, Agric Growth Enhancement Scheme(GES), First Bank Farm Scheme and others that would be coming on soon under the Agric transformation agenda.

THE ENTERPRENEUR UNDER 25 (EU-25) FORUM ON AGRIC-BUSINESS

On April 29 2012, fifteen (15) young men and women came together to discuss on the future of agriculture and agric-business in Nigeria.
The EU-25 is a monthly entrepreneur forum which is done over lunch where entrepreneurs under the age of 25 come together to discuss on how effectively create change positively. The EU-25 is put together by the Olusola Amusan Company (OAC).
The month of April 2012, focused on Agriculture and how youth can transform the sector. The facilators were two young farmers; Mr. Ajifola Afolabi of NETIVA Farms and Mr. Olalekan Bankole a fish farmer and a consultant with the Ondo State Government on Agric matters.
During the introduction, Moses Ogunyemi, who is a student and a poultry farmer acknowledged the growing population of Nigeria and the need for people to be feed at all times. Thus stressing the need for we the youth to take charge and transform agriculture in Nigeria.
Olalekan Bankole, a graduate of Forestry and Wood Technology and a Fish farmer elaborated on the challenges faced especially in the Agric-business in Nigeria and as it relates to youth.
Some of them are:

• Lack of interest on the part of youth to engage in agriculture. An example was a Local Government Area in Ondo State, Nigeria, where having set up a tomato paste processing plant, the government asked that the youth in the community joins hands to work together on a tomato plantation so as to get the raw materials and the youth refused because they saw it as work for the poor. Most young ones have no passion for agriculture. They want quick money.

• Low number of agro-based industry.

• Inconsistent weather for arable crop farmers.

• Need for more machineries.

• Unfavorable government policies as it relates to accessing funds and land acquisition.

• A large gap between Academics & Research and what happens on the field.

The group moved on to discuss some the way out. Afolabi Ajifola of NETIVA Foods shed light on how to make use of the few opportunities open to us as agropreneurs effectively such as

• Ways to access loan from the Bank of Agriculture, Nigeria

• Ways to get access to farm machineries to work on farm lands through the Ministry of Agriculture and other bodies and organizations.

At the end of the forum, the 15 young people agreed to the following sets ways to improve and transform agricultural development in Nigeria:

• Massive sensitization of Nigerian youth on the need to get involved in Agricultural development and the benefits that comes from it.

• Initiation of an Agroclub to aid networking of young farmers.

• The need to be more information and opportunity conscious and make proper use of the internet for effective sensitization and information dissemination as it relate to agriculture and agric-business.

• Creating networks and synergy among like minds to create and manage agric-businesses.

• Acquisition of entrepreneurship skills

• Improving our food processing skills so as to give out quality finished products.

• The government also needs to be shown that the future of agriculture lies in the hands of the youth. And this can only be done when we defy all odds, start small and showcase our works to the government.

We thus all agreed that with proper passion, vision, persistence, networking, hard work and making effective use of information and opportunities available we truly can change our future for the better through agriculture.